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Butte County, California Demographics 2026

Butte County, California has a population of 207,929, the 28th most populous county in California. The median household income is $67,928 and the median home value is $424,700. The poverty rate is 19.3%.

Data vintage: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2020–2024 5-Year Estimates · refreshed July 2026 · Methodology & source notes

Butte County Quick Facts

Population 207,929
Median Household Income $67,928
Median Home Value $424,700
Poverty Rate 19.3%
Unemployment Rate 7.5%
Median Age 36.2 years
Homeownership Rate 57.3%
Affordability Ratio 6.3x
Bachelor's Degree+ 31.9%
High School Graduation 90.6%
Cities/Places 30
Population 207,929 28th of 58
Median Income $67,928 31% lower than state
Poverty Rate 19.3%
Unemployment 7.5%

How Butte County Changed

Change from the 2019–2023 ACS period to 2020–2024. These are rolling five-year estimates, not year-over-year measurements.

Metric2019–20232020–2024Change
Population209,470207,929-0.7%
Median household income$68,574$67,928-0.9%
Median home value$408,700$424,700+3.9%

Economy & Housing

Household Income Distribution

Under $25K 19.2%
$25K-$50K 19.4%
$50K-$100K 27.4%
$100K+ 34.0%
Detailed income brackets
Under $10K
6.0%
$10K-$15K
3.8%
$15K-$20K
4.7%
$20K-$25K
4.8%
$25K-$30K
4.1%
$30K-$35K
4.4%
$35K-$40K
3.5%
$40K-$45K
4.1%
$45K-$50K
3.3%
$50K-$60K
6.6%
$60K-$75K
8.6%
$75K-$100K
12.2%
$100K-$125K
9.5%
$125K-$150K
6.0%
$150K-$200K
8.1%
$200K+
10.4%

Employment

7.5% Unemployment Rate State: 6.6%|National: 5.2%
59.2% Labor Force Participation

Housing Overview

Owner 57.3%
Renter 42.7%
Affordability Index Expensive
6.3x home value to income ratio
Median gross rent $1,414/mo 25.0% of median household income annually

People & Demographics

Diversity Index

53out of 100
Moderate Diversity

Moderate diversity with one or two groups making up the majority.

State average: 70 | National average: 61

Education

Cities & Places in Butte County

CityPopulationMedian IncomePovertyHome Value
Chico102,188$66,97722.7%$468,100
Oroville19,752$52,27021.4%$311,600
Oroville East7,504$94,5128.7%$405,400
Paradise7,392$67,68718.2%$416,000
Magalia7,389$56,92011.8%$280,600
Gridley7,330$57,97417.9%$312,800
Thermalito6,720$54,86520.4%$254,900
Durham5,340$95,41710.2%$700,100
Palermo5,266$50,58820.2%$283,000
South Oroville2,846$65,40933.7%$261,500
Kelly Ridge2,825$54,63112.3%$277,600
Biggs2,307$84,9147.3%$328,400
Forest Ranch1,915$131,6501.5%$445,800
Butte Valley1,087$97,93431.2%$462,100
Berry Creek760$45,67337.8%$249,200
Butte Creek Canyon713$105,8198.3%$695,300
Bangor597$120,34713.1%$378,400
Cohasset573$79,6742.3%$500,000
Clipper Mills414N/A85.8%N/A
Stirling City344N/A10.5%$265,100
Honcut271$187,74253.5%$275,000
Yankee Hill232$76,8066.9%$534,100
Nord190$69,1990.0%$369,400
Concow183$37,00016.9%N/A
Richvale145$53,98415.9%N/A
Rackerby138$62,81317.4%$305,000
Robinson Mill100N/A0.0%N/A
Cherokee99$70,81567.7%N/A
Forbestown90N/A14.4%N/A
Butte Meadows25N/A0.0%N/A

Explore California Rankings

Cities by Population All cities ranked by size Richest Cities Ranked by median income Most Educated By bachelor's degree rate Most Affordable By housing affordability

Population Overview

Butte County is located in California with a total population of 207,929. It is the 28th most populous county out of 58 in California. The county encompasses 30 Census-designated places.

Age Demographics

The median age in Butte County is 36.2 years. This is 4% lower than the state median of 37.9 years.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in Butte County is $67,928. This is 31% lower than the state median of $99,122. It is also 16% lower than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 19.3%. This is 60% higher than the state poverty rate of 12.0%. The unemployment rate is 7.5%. This is 13% higher than the state rate of 6.6%. The median home value is $424,700. Housing costs are 42% lower than the state median of $734,700. The home-value-to-income ratio of 6.3x suggests that housing affordability is a significant concern for many residents. 57.3% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 3% higher than the state average of 55.9%.

Race & Ethnicity

The largest racial or ethnic group in Butte County is White (non-Hispanic), making up 65.1% of the population. Hispanic or Latino residents account for 20.0%. The White (non-Hispanic) population is significantly higher than the state average (65.1% vs 33.8%). The Black or African American population (1.7%) is well below the state average of 5.2%. The Hispanic or Latino population (20.0%) is well below the state average of 40.2%. The Asian population (5.5%) is well below the state average of 15.3%.

Education

31.9% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is 14% lower than the state rate of 37.1%. Nationally, 35.7% of adults hold at least a bachelor's degree. The high school graduation rate (or equivalent) is 90.6%.

Data Sources & Methodology

All figures for Butte County come from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS) 2020–2024 5-Year Estimates, with comparisons drawn against California and national averages from the same dataset. See our methodology page for how each metric is defined, or data.census.gov for official tables with margins of error.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the population of Butte County, California?

Butte County has a population of 207,929, making it the 28th most populous county in California.

What is the median income in Butte County?

The median household income in Butte County is $67,928 with a poverty rate of 19.3%.

How many cities are in Butte County, California?

Butte County contains 30 Census-designated places.